The leadership of the Indigenous Correspondents’ Chapel (ICC), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council, has passed a vote of no confidence in the Delta State Council Chairman, Comrade Churchill Oyowe, citing concerns over his inability to conduct a free, fair, and credible election following the alleged unconstitutional postponement of the chapel’s polls earlier scheduled for April 15, 2026.
At an emergency meeting held on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at the Chapel Secretariat, the EXCO condemned what it described as the “unwarranted and unilateral” postponement of its elections earlier scheduled for April 15, raising concerns about transparency, fairness, and adherence to due process.
In a communiqué jointly signed by Chairman Kenneth Orusi and other executive members, the EXCO accused the NUJ State chairman of actions capable of undermining democratic principles within the Union.
Central to the grievances is the assertion that Comrade Oyowe can no longer be trusted to conduct a “free, fair, and credible election,” a position that effectively amounts to a vote of no confidence in his leadership role in the process.
The EXCO further criticized the disqualification of three contestants, Mrs. Lucy Ezeliora (Auditor), Mrs. Christy Aboghe (Financial Secretary), and Henry Owere (Treasurer), describing the grounds for their exclusion as inconsistent and unjust.
According to the committee, the cited reason that the candidates are staff of The Pointer Newspaper was selectively applied, noting that other journalists from different media organizations have historically not faced similar restrictions.
The resolution reportedly referenced the case of one of the contestants Mr. Kent Enweliku of The Sun, who, according to the EXCO, has not been subjected to such disqualification over the years.
It also highlighted what it termed a contradiction in standards, citing the example of Mrs. Yvonne Suowari, Chairman of Fresh Angle Chapel as a staff of the local government under the Ministry of Information, whom Oyowe allowed and introduced to Congress with similar electoral processes without hindrance.
Beyond issues of candidate eligibility, the EXCO described as “unconstitutional” the unilateral and indefinite postponement of the election by the State Council Chairman without formal communication through the appropriate channel, particularly the State Acting Secretary, Comrade Mrs Josephine Omodior.
In a decisive move, the ICC EXCO directed its Electoral Committee (ELECO) to immediately fix a new election date within the week and formally notify the State Council, copying relevant officers to ensure transparency and prevent what it described as attempts to “sweep the matter under the carpet.”
The committee also raised alarm over what it termed a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise nine financial members of the chapel, insisting that such individuals, many of whom have previously held elected positions, retain full rights to participate in the electoral process.
While reaffirming its loyalty to the national leadership of the NUJ under Comrade Alhassan Yahaya, the ICC EXCO called for urgent intervention to address what it views as procedural breaches and restore confidence in the union’s democratic structures.
The development signals a growing internal rift within the Delta NUJ, failure to resolve the impasse promptly could further erode cohesion within the journalists’ body in the state.
